Your thoughts on the Harbor Freight 36" metal brake...

[progressive hunter]

I think its called a box/pan break,,
its the one you can change the fingers to bend the walls to make a box,,


it pushes the fingers down into a V slot with the metal in between and how far you go decides the angle,

I thought the one he had was from harbor freight but I just looked and cant find it,,
its different from the finger breaks that kinda work the same but you swing up the lower plate just like on a regular break

his is a dual tool and has a roller on the top for rolling curves,,
this is a single tool version,,

View attachment 949729

this is a different make but the same thing

Amazon product ASIN B0CJXJ88Q8

 

[Natural Citizen]

I dunno know if it'll work for what you need it to do. Guess it depends on the material you're working with.

But I, for one, certainly do admire your motivation to just go ahead and fabricate the parts you need. I've noticed that you do that quite a bit. It's just what you have to do sometimes. Especially if it's for the older, hard to find stuff.

 

[Missourian]

I think its called a box/pan break,,
its the one you can change the fingers to bend the walls to make a box,,


it pushes the fingers down into a V slot with the metal in between and how far you go decides the angle,

I thought the one he had was from harbor freight but I just looked and cant find it,,
its different from the finger breaks that kinda work the same but you swing up the lower plate just like on a regular break

his is a dual tool and has a roller on the top for rolling curves,,
this is a single tool version,,

View attachment 949729

I'll have to do some reading on that.

Appreciate the offer...but I don't think I'll be able to get up to your neck of the woods anytime soon.

 

[progressive hunter]

I'll have to do some reading on that.

Appreciate the offer...but I don't think I'll be able to get up to your neck of the woods anytime soon.

he just called a while back and asked if I wanted to buy it,,

its a left over from his plane building phase,,

you might just carry the metal into harbor freight and tell them youre just checking to see if it works for your needs,,

 

[Missourian]

It's just what you have to do sometimes. Especially if it's for the older, hard to find stuff.

That's a fact. Although it's amazing what you can find out there that someone is still making for half century old vehicles.

 

[Missourian]

he just called a while back and asked if I wanted to buy it,,

its a left over from his plane building phase,,

you might just carry the metal into harbor freight and tell them youre just checking to see if it works for your needs,,

That's an excellent idea.

 

[Missourian]

 

[progressive hunter]

I love youtube university,,

 

[Natural Citizen]

That's a fact. Although it's amazing what you can find out there that someone is still making for half century old vehicles.

If I knew what it came off of, I'd help you look for it.

 

[White 6]

HF sells the cheesball Chinese crap more trades abhor..~S~

Many are crap, if looking for something meet commercial durability standards, but for light occasional use, fill the niche of tools costing hundreds more. If using every day, on jobsite of factory shop, spend the money for the highest quality, flexibility, durability needed to meet your daily/weekly demand. But, in this case, not everybody needs a brake or brake press for dealing with 10 gauge. For light home use, it will probably be fine.

 

[Missourian]

If I knew what it came off of, I'd help you look for it.

Appreciate the offer, but I've pretty much exhausted the search potential.

Unfortunately this Freightliner is a Canadian configuration that has given me fits sourcing parts in the past. Every component seems to be oddball.

 

[Moonglow]

Yeah, that's the downside. Just watched a 33 minute video on the modifications it needs to work correctly.

On the upside...I could never justify a $1200 brake, but this I can.

You could make bird cages

 

[Missourian]

Used my 20% off coupon...$239 and change.

 

[Missourian]

You could make bird cages

 

[Missourian]

Super easy to assembly. Two 5/8th wrenches do the trick.

You need something a little smaller than a 3/4 for the clamp adjustment bolts... But the open end of a 3/4 wrench will work. Probably metric

All I had to test on was the bottom I cut out of a burn barrel...

Whatever this is, it was easy to bend and plenty thick for what I need.

I'm pleased as punch.

 

[Missourian]

So far definitely would recommend.

 

[Sunni Man]

Can you bend diamond plate with that? Looks kind of smallish.

Diamond plate is going to be too think to bend on a lightweight hobby brake